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Collin Klein plays the waiting game

Lovelander plans low-key draft weekend

By Mike Brohard Sports Editor

Posted:
04/25/2013 08:19:26 PM MDT

After finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting, Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein is hopeful he'll get a chance in the NFL. The Loveland product plans to spend a quiet draft weekend, however.
(Orlin Wagner)

Collin Klein enters the weekend hopeful and confident.

The NFL Draft promises to be a big day in his life, and the Loveland High School product and Kansas State quarterback who was third in Heisman Trophy voting in December is expecting to get a chance to prove his case he belongs in the league as a quarterback.

"I'm very excited. I'm a little anxious obviously to see what happens and where we end up, but again, very excited," said Klein, who is projected as a late-round pick. "I feel like I've done everything I possibly could. I've done my best and continued to improve. I'm excited for the opportunity."

Despite a record-setting career for the Wildcats, Klein's draft stock has never been high. He has been viewed by some as a strong runner lacking the ability to make the throws necessary on Sundays. In some circles, he's been compared to Tim Tebow.

Mel Kiper Jr., who has made his living off the NFL Draft, is among those who does not believe Klein can sustain a career at quarterback in the league, feeling he will have to switch positions.

"He wants to be a quarterback. I think he'd have to be a tight end/H-back," Kiper recently said in a conference call. "He doesn't really want to move to that position, so I think he's a late round/undrafted free agent."

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But not all involved in the draft follow the same line of thinking. In fact, when Klein sat down with quarterback coaches at the NFL Combine and talked to scouts at his pro day workout, not one of them suggested a move was in order. Nobody brought up the subject, which Klein takes as a good sign.

But he also knew scouts and pro personnel had questions about his ability, so he worked with former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer to address those issues.

"We worked on everything," Klein said. "We worked on footwork, we worked on getting me a quicker release, we worked on just darn near everything. He was just awesome. His experience and the level he played at for as long as he played, he was really just amazing. Being able to share that time and have him invest in me was pretty cool.

"I've gotten better every single year since even really high school. I love working hard and trying to improve in any way I can. That doesn't change now."

Dave McCloughan, a scout with the Oakland Raiders who has watched Klein grow up and develop, doesn't see him as a tight end. In fact, he's positive somebody will give him a chance to prove he is an NFL quarterbacks.

McCloughan, who watched Klein at his pro day, said Tebow comparisons are off base and that the work Klein has put in has paid off.

"He's getting better. He's shortened up his steps and opened up his quickness and all that, so he's getting better," McCloughan said. "He'll always be a bit of a running threat, so he's one of those dual-threat guys. People kind of compare him to Tebow, but he's a lot more accurate than Tebow."

But as the draft rolls on, Klein doesn't plan on being planted in front of the television. He said he will spend a lot of time with his wife, Shalin, maybe play some golf and he definitely plans to take in Kansas State's spring game to support his brother, Kyle.

Klein is confident a call will come, and McCloughan is, as well. In his eyes, there is just too much Klein has to offer that won't intrigue NFL teams.

"People (at Kansas State) thought he was a wide receiver because they didn't think he could play quarterback, then they found out he could," McCloughan said. "He will do everything in his power to be a quarterback. The competitor, the person, they're not getting better. A competitor, he's as good as there is; he's off the charts that way."

In some ways, Klein said it reminds him of his high school days, waiting for some team -- one team -- to show an interest. He laughs a bit at the thought, but thinks these days he's drawing more interest than back then. All he has to wait for again is one call, then the rest is up to him.

"That's all it comes down to," Klein said. "You'd like to have a couple to maybe get you a little better position, but it only takes one. I'm just trying to be ready and take advantage of the opportunity when it comes.

"That's all anybody can ask for. The draft or any of that, that doesn't define you. It's what you do when you get the job. We're just going to do our best and compete and have fun doing it."

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